Tender cauliflower in white sauce served with potatoes and boiled eggs, an easy vegetarian, delicious recipe.
This recipe for cauliflower in white sauce is a variation of one of my husband's favorite meals Eggs in Mustard Sauce.
I came up with this recipe shortly after Easter this year as a way of using up some of the millions of hard-boiled eggs we still had leftover. However, in this case, the cauliflower is the star of the show, the eggs are just an optional topping.
What do you need?
Simple, cheap and healthy ingredients.
Cauliflower: either fresh or frozen. If frozen, place in the water without bothering to defrost first and cook until al dente. Don't discard the stem, it tastes just as good as the florets.
Peas: they don't need to be fully defrosted. Take them out of the freezer when you start cooking, they will be fine by the time you add them to the dish and they only need to be heated through.
White sauce: butter, flour, milk, and the cauliflower's cooking liquid. And mustard, Dijon is my first choice, but your favorite brand of medium-hot mustard should be fine.
How to make cauliflower with white sauce?
- You will probably want to serve the cauliflower with eggs and potatoes. In this case, start cooking those before you begin. Especially the potatoes will need a slightly longer cooking time.
- Divide the clean cauliflower into florets and cut the peeled stem into rough cubes. Boil in vegetable stock until tender, but not mushy.
- Drain and keep the stock, you will need it to make the white sauce.
- Make the sauce by melting the butter in a large saucepan. Sprinkle the flour on top, let get slightly golden. Slowly add the milk and the stock while whisking continously.
- It is important to whisk all the time to avoid clumps. Should you still have some small clumps in the sauce it is ok to blend the sauce shortly with an immersion blender.
- Add mustard to taste, I always add more than 2 tablespoons, probably something between 3 and 4, but that is definitely to taste. Start with less, stir well, taste, and add more only if you really like a strong mustard taste.
- Adjust the taste with salt, pepper, and nutmeg (generously).
- Stir in the peas and heat gently for a few minutes.
How to serve?
- I almost always serve the cauliflower in white sauce with hard-boiled eggs and boiled potatoes.
- Mashed potatoes or rice are fine as well.
- You can leave the eggs if you don't want them or replace them with chicken breast, white fish fillet, or smoked trout.
More cauliflower with sauce:
Romanian Cauliflower Mayonnaise Salad
Vegan Cauliflower Mac and Cheese
Cauliflower Curry with Potatoes
Cauliflower in White Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 cauliflower about 500 g/ 1 lb
- 700 ml/ 23.6 fl.oz/ 3 cups vegetable broth
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 4 tablespoons flour
- 150 ml/ 5 fl.oz/ ⅔ cup milk
- 1-2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 200 g/ 7 oz/ 1 ¼ cup frozen peas defrosted
- a bunch of parsley
- some nutmeg
- fine salt and pepper
- 4-6 hard-boiled eggs to serve
- boiled potatoes to serve
Instructions
- If serving the dish with potatoes and eggs, start cooking them now.
- Divide the cauliflower into medium-large florets and cut the stalk into cubes. Place in a pot with the vegetable broth, bring to a boil, and cook for about 5 minutes or until on the soft side but not mushy. Drain and reserve the broth.
- Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Sprinkle the flour on top and let it get some color for about 2 minutes, it should be pale yellow.
- Add the milk gradually while whisking continuously, then slowly add the reserved vegetable broth while whisking all the time. Bring to a boil and simmer on medium-low heat for about 3-4 minutes while stirring very often.
- Add Dijon mustard. Start with 1 tablespoon and add more according to your taste. Adjust the taste generously with nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
- Add the peas and simmer for about 3 minutes stirring often.
- Sprinkle with chopped parsley (or dill). Serve immediately with boiled eggs and boiled potatoes.
Angie@Angie's Recipes says
I love cauliflower! Yours with creamy mustard sauce looks very yummy!
Shashi at Savory Spin says
I don't think I've ever had anything quite like this before - what a delightful combo of flavors, Adina! I love mustard in my deviled eggs so that mustard sauce is such a delightful accompaniment to left over hard boiled eggs. I hope the weather stays warm for you and y'all get to enjoy more days in t-shirts and shorts! 🙂
Kathy@beyond the chicken coop says
What a unique combination! It sounds like a great combination of ingredients. Our weather here has been crazy too....one day we may get warm weather and sunshine....I hope!
Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary says
I absolutely adore cauliflower, so I'm loving this dish! SO unique! I bet this tastes absolutely delicious! Cheers, friend!
allie says
I love your creative recipe Adina, really nice. And a great way to use up extra eggs. A friend at church brought me three dozen farm fresh eggs on Sunday - so this would be a great way to incorporate them. Our weather has been wonky too - it was cold cold for a while and now it is in the nineties! This back and forth thing is for the birds. 🙂 Have a great week my friend!
Zerrin says
I love cauliflower but don't know many recipes with it. This one looks so comforting, which is something we need these days as it's still chilly outside. Can't wait to see more cauliflower recipes in your new series!
Marvellina says
I seriously need more ideas for cauliflowers too. Can't wait to see more of this series!!!!
Amrita says
This is a very different recipe and looks so good...I should try this
Sissi says
It's a very interesting recipe. I love everything with a big amounts of eggs, so I'm sure I'd like it too (I like cauliflower too unless it's mushy and overcooked).
Christie | A Sausage Has Two says
Eggs and mustard sauce is one of my husband's favourites, too 🙂 This is such a great idea, to have cauliflower with it. I've always served it with something green, but this somehow makes it the ultimate comfort food! Will give it a go 🙂